We are all on a hero's journey
A new way to frame times of change and growth
Dear voyagers,
In my last newsletter, I talked about about how I felt like I was on a hero’s journey (Described by Jospeh Campbell in 1949, a hero’s journey is a story template built from patterns found in many myths from many cultures). Afterwards, I was asked for more information about this via email from a couple of you. One of you even said, “I would really love this to be the topic of your next newsletter.” I am nothing if not attentive to my friends and readers, so here goes…
This is the simplest version of the hero’s journey I could find online. If you think back to the latest movie or series you watched, you’re likely see these elements playing out in the course of the story.1
In recent conversations with my bestie, I’ve used the hero’s journey framework to both make us laugh and share an update. She’ll ask how I’m doing and I’ll say, for example, “You know, I’m seizing the sword” or “I’m kinda stuck in ordeal, death and rebirth.” Every time I share it, I’m reminded that I am dealing with a specific moment in time on an ever-changing journey.2
I’m sharing all of this with you because you might want to try the same thing. What is your current hero’s journey? Is a call to adventure knocking at your door as we speak? Or have you just been through an ordeal and are gearing up walk the road back to the ordinary world?
In order to help you understand how to create your own hero’s journey, I mocked up this version of my latest for you as an example:
As you can see here, the journey does not unfold in predictable ways.3 Framing your experiences through the hero’s journey lens can help you stay flexible while accepting that unpredictability with grace.4
It’s all really as simple as that. Use the hero’s journey to help yourself make sense of an unpredictable struggle. Know that you will not be stuck in the ordeal stage forever. Ahead of you awaits the sword! And ultimately, that sweet, sweet elixir. (We all want to jump ahead to the elixir stage, but sadly, that’s not how it works.5) In the meantime, call your best friend and debrief about your latest sword fight.
You could have numerous hero journeys going on for different parts of your life at any given time. For example: You may have a career-spanning hero’s journey or a lifelong parental hero’s journey. There is nothing monolithic about growth.
I knew in February that going off Lexapro after 8 years would be a challenge, but didn’t realize it would lead me to a deeper understanding of the nervous system, for example.
This reminds me of an approach to work I’ve honed over time: “let’s assume we’ll be doing this for one year…what can I learn in that year?”
You gotta earn it.